The Best Way To Mince Garlic Without A Garlic Press

Minced garlic is essential in a whole whack of condiments and dishes, from salad dressing and pasta sauces to soups and stews. If you don't want your hands to smell like garlic, you can spend $10 on a garlic press. But if you're anti-garlic press (many well-known chefs fall into this camp), or just hate filling your drawers with one-use kitchen tools, there are a few easy ways to finely chop garlic for all your savoury recipe needs.

What's the difference between minced garlic and garlic paste?

Minced garlic refers to garlic that's been super finely chopped. Garlic paste, on the other hand, is more like garlic mush. You can buy jars and little tubes filled with this flavourful paste, but it's also super easy to just make it yourself. Start by mincing your garlic, and then sprinkle your mince with salt (the salt draws out moisture and acts as an abrasive to help break down the garlic). Place the blunt side of your knife over your pile of salted garlic and then angle your blade so you can mash the garlic into a paste. Alternatively, you can use a mortar and pestle to transform cloves of garlic and salt into a delightfully pungent paste.

How to mince garlic with a grater

A rasp grater, also known as a microplane, is the easiest way to mince garlic without a garlic press. Simply run a clove along your grater to get super fine pieces of garlic. Plus, with this method, you can grate directly over the pan.

How to mince garlic with a fork

Some claim you can finely chop garlic simply by squishing garlic with the tines of a common fork. Intrigued, I grabbed a clove from the Chatelaine Kitchen and tried out this handy sounding hack. The verdict: it stinks worse than garlic breath. While this technique might sound promising, it doesn't really work, so save yourself the hassle and just mince your garlic the classic way: with a knife.

How to mince garlic with a knife

The most basic, yet professional way to mince garlic is by using a knife. Slice a clove lengthwise and then cut it crosswise to get small chunks. Use two hands to chop (one hand on your knife handle and one placed atop the front part of the blade) to control the knife as you continue to chop the garlic into even finer pieces. For a full tutorial, check out the video below.

How to peel and mince garlic